Thread Drift

[chickwhorips]

mimi feel better.

queen, i like the way you think!

snap i'm jealous about the massage!

[Bikingmomof3]

Feel better Mimi!!!

[roguedog]

this flu is kicking people's butts this year.

do you guy get flu shots every year?

i don't. i personally think they don't work and that if you do get 'em you're actually more prone to get sick. cuz the people who get sick seem to be the ones who got the flu shot. or at least said they did when they took some time off work. maybe they just went to go do something fun :)

[mimitabby]

HI you guys. No fever this morning, actually ate a huge breakfast of 2 ounces of jello with a little banana in it. What has been a life saver for me was all the electrolyte sports drinks my husband has around the house. that's the best thing I "ate" all of yesterday.

I just read that a 7 year old girl DIED from this flu in a local school here!
My mother and stepfather had their flu shots, my husband and I did not.
We all got the flu, one after the other.

I am hoping my sons don't get it. Taking it very slow and about to get horizontal again. This is one time I am happy that all my friends are "virtual" because we can't spread these germs (er, viruses) this way.

m

[kelownagirl]

Hope you're feeling better asap Mimi!

I get a flu shot every year but I work in a school and if the flu hits there, it's hard not to get it. You have to remember that the flu shot only protects you against 1 or 2 of the most severe strains of influenza, which are respiratory infections, much like a severe cold with fever. These awful stomach bugs that are going around aren't covered by a flu shot.

[mimitabby]

well, my son is sick now!

[KnottedYet]

Hey, Mimi! Get better and better!

And the electrolyte stuff is darn good to have around.

SKnot's been eating Clif Bloks. He's gonna attempt school again. He's missed a full week now.

[mimitabby]

Hey, Mimi! Get better and better!

And the electrolyte stuff is darn good to have around.

SKnot's been eating Clif Bloks. He's gonna attempt school again. He's missed a full week now.
your son has been down with flu for A WEEK? wow. Is his school even open?
My older son is clearly not as miserable as I was, he groaned when i told him no solids today. Yesterday i didn't care, i was too sick to be hungry.

[KnottedYet]

SKnot and I had the "long and slow" version, which the pediatrician said you just have to wait out. My boss (and you?) had the "short and evil" version. The doc said that one you can get meds for.

When i picked him up from school (after an hour) on Tuesday, the attendance office said 70 kids were home with the flu and they'd sent another 10 home from school yesterday. That's about 10% of the school.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

your son has been down with flu for A WEEK? wow.

Yeah when I had my stomach flu in January it lasted a whole week. I lost several pounds, had no appetite at all. But I did find it great to sip an electrolyte sports water all day- made a big difference for me and felt better than drinking plain water or tea. I like the Glaceau brand "fruit water" with a tiny bit of peach flavor and sugar, plus electrolytes and a few vitamins....very refreshing and stayed down in my stomach very well. It's the same stuff I take with me always when biking.

[KnottedYet]

www.takeaseat.org

He's in Mexico now! Darn, missed my chance to be a stoker....

[chickwhorips]

mimi glad your feeling a bit better, sorry your son is now sick.

knot glad sknot is doing better.

i got the flu shot. not because of where i live, but because i was traveling so much. i'm hoping i don't get it when i go into town. surgery + flu = no bueno!

[mimitabby]

Hope you're feeling better asap Mimi!

These awful stomach bugs that are going around aren't covered by a flu shot.

they're NOT?

I am doing better. I hope the rest of us are perking up too, including Ito-san the cat.
just got a package all ready for my secret sister. if i ever venture outside again, i might mail it.

[kelownagirl]

The symptoms of influenza (flu) appear suddenly and often include:

• Fever of 100 °F(37.8 °C) to 104 °F(40 °C), which can reach 106 °F(41 °C) when symptoms first develop. Fever is usually continuous, but it may come and go. Fever may be lower in older adults than in children and younger adults.
• Shaking chills.
• Body aches and muscle pain (often severe), commonly in the back, arms, or legs.
• Headache.
• Pain when you move your eyes.
• Fatigue, a general feeling of sickness (malaise), and loss of appetite.
• A dry cough, runny nose, and a dry or sore throat. You may not notice these during the first few days of the illness when other symptoms are more severe. As your fever goes away, these symptoms may become more evident.
When fever is high, other symptoms usually are more severe.

Influenza (flu) usually comes on suddenly. In many cases you can pinpoint the hour when symptoms started. Symptoms develop 1 to 4 days after you are infected.

Classic flu involves fever for about 3 days, followed by a gradual decrease in other symptoms. Fever is usually slightly lower on the 2nd and 3rd days. It may last up to 8 days.

Respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, sore throat) become more noticeable as fever and other symptoms decrease. They usually last 3 to 4 days after the fever goes down. A dry, hacking cough may linger for up to 10 days after other symptoms are gone.

Complete recovery may take 1 to 2 weeks or longer. Fatigue and weakness can last for several weeks.
Complications of influenza may develop in anyone, but they are much more likely in older adults and people who have other health problems, especially heart and lung diseases.

I can't have the flu – I'm not nauseated.
Contrary to common belief, stomach and intestinal complaints aren't generally a feature of the flu, except in small children. "The flu is a respiratory illness," says Skowronski, "and the lungs are the major site of symptoms." You might be surprised to learn that the virus doesn't even spread throughout your body. Your headache, fever and aching muscles are actually an "inflammatory response" – that is, your body is working overtime to try to kill off the virus in your lungs. A small number of people (fewer than 10 per cent) may have some intestinal problems with the flu, but that's not the main feature of the bug. If you were nauseated and vomiting, it's far more likely you had food poisoning or gastroenteritis. As for the term "stomach flu," well, there's no such thing.

[KnottedYet]

A school here in Seattle (Blanchette) closed because of the stomach flu. Over 300 students and 14 teachers are out sick. Or gastroenteritis. Or whatever it is. (the pediatrician called it stomach flu, probably because that's what everyone else is calling it)

Here is one of my favorite inventions: http://www.reachaccess.com/home.html If you don't have one, you can get a free one from the website. I love it!

[roguedog]

Hey Mimi,

Glad to hear you're doing better. Now go back to bed and drink lots of liquids. :)

[DebW]

Here is one of my favorite inventions: http://www.reachaccess.com/home.html If you don't have one, you can get a free one from the website. I love it!

Knot, does Flossie have a Flosser? Can you ride and floss at the same time?

[spokewench]

Well, whether it's the flu or not; I've got a cold - two days with a sore throat; now I'm getting the respiratory stuff. Shoot, I thought I was going to get through the winter without a cold or the flu! And, of course, my Mountain Bike Camp down in Phoenix is this winter and since I'm the organizer, I guess I'll be camping all weekend. We leave today as soon as I get everything packed into the van.

This is going to be fun! I'm totally out of shape and now I can't breathe!

[Duck on Wheels]

I assume that as organizer you have organized a "sick tent"? That may be your "office" during camp. Hope not, though. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a fun camp.

[salsabike]

Filed at 7:17 p.m. ET

Partial list of winners at Sunday's 49th Annual Grammy Awards:

Short Form Music Video: ''Here It Goes Again,'' OK Go.

[Aint Doody]

It poured rain here today so a bunch of the "girls" went to see Dream Girls. I absolutely loved it. Don't go unless you like musicals.

[KnottedYet]

Hooray for OK Go! That is one of the cleverest videos ever!

[LBTC]

As for the term "stomach flu," well, there's no such thing.


Thank you, Kelownagirl. I always want to tell people this, but I didn't have detailed facts like you have posted!

I hope everyone is starting to feel better. The bugs this year seem to be worse than usual!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[salsabike]

[/I]QUOTE=roguedog;169664]this flu is kicking people's butts this year.

do you guy get flu shots every year?

i don't. i personally think they don't work and that if you do get 'em you're actually more prone to get sick. cuz the people who get sick seem to be the ones who got the flu shot. or at least said they did when they took some time off work. maybe they just went to go do something fun :)[/QUOTE]

We get a flu shot every year. I have too many friends in public health and have read too much about the 1918 flu pandemic that killed so many people to ignore the advice to get the shot. I think they do work, although not perfectly, to protect against the strain they're designed for and I don't think they make you more likely to get sick. I've never had influenza and don't ever wanna have it. See below:

[I]Spanish flu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Public Notice
Public Notice

The 1918 flu pandemic was a category 5 influenza pandemic between 1918 and 1920 caused by an unusually severe and deadly strain of the subtype H1N1 of the species Influenza A virus. By far the most destructive influenza pandemic in history, it killed some 50 million to 100 million people worldwide in just 18 months =, [1][2] dwarfing the simultaneous bloodshed due to World War I. Furthermore, many of its victims were healthy young adults, in contrast to most influenza outbreaks which predominantly affect juvenile, elderly, or otherwise weakened patients.

[KnottedYet]

My family seems to react badly (joint problems and auto immune reactions) to flu shots, so I've never had one.

I've had the real influenza once (as opposed to the "stomach flu" i had a couple weeks ago). I wanted to die. But it passed. My mom and brother still have lingering problems from their first-and-only encounters with flu shots.

[snapdragen]

I got a flu shot this year - I haven't had any ill effects.

We had a presentation at my departments All Hands Meeting from the Public Health Dept. Letting us know all kinds of interesting things for when, not if, the next pandemic hits. Like I found out, as a County Employee, I can be put to work anywhere I'm needed in an emergency.

[KnottedYet]

As a healthcare worker, I'm supposed to report to the nearest hospital. And be near all those sick people!?!?!? EWWWWWW!!!!

One of the weirdest things that struck me about pandemics is the idea that you *run out* of coffins. With the pandemic in 1918, they resorted to mass graves because there was nothing else to do with the bodies. They were stacking up, literally. Now we've got these great hurkin' piles of heavy-duty body bags, but you've still got to put the bodies somewhere.

[snapdragen]

Yep - I'm considered a health care worker too, my expertise would probably be emptying bed pans. Ish. The coroner's office is right down the street from my office. I think the plans call for refrigerator trucks.

Oh, this is getting a bit macabre. On to happy fluffy bunny thoughts.

I made Coq au Vin for dinner tonight, I have a quickie recipe - it's really quite good!

[Geonz]

I don't get a flu shot 'cause I so rarely get the flu... I don't want to mess with what works. (Last time I did, about 3 years ago, I was on the road when I felt "something coming on" and couldn't do the stuff I usually do with the salt water and lots of hand washing and going straight to bed.)
*Some* people at the college have been sick, but not a whole lot, and nobody I've been in close contact with. When I moved out here to a house full of cats and started washing my hands a lot, that's when I stopped getting sick. Hmmm.... so I'm making' sure to do that, drinking OJ and riding hard ;)

... steering away from morbidity :)

[KnottedYet]

Once upon a time I found a really cool article on handwashing and contagious disease. It was something about how handwashing did more than any other intervention in a population to decrease contagious diseases.

If I wasn't so darn tired I'd wander through google or wikipedia and find it.

[Bad JuJu]

Once upon a time I found a really cool article on handwashing and contagious disease. It was something about how handwashing did more than any other intervention in a population to decrease contagious diseases.

If I wasn't so darn tired I'd wander through google or wikipedia and find it.
I read that, too. I don't know where, but I remembered a couple of the significant names: Oliver Wendell Holmes and a Dr. Semmelweis. Here's a different article that discusses Semmelweis's discovery, which had to do with midwives who washed their hands vs. medical students who didn't.
Handwashing (http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/CC/hand_background.html)

[spokewench]

I assume that as organizer you have organized a "sick tent"? That may be your "office" during camp. Hope not, though. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a fun camp.

No, there was no "sick tent"! All went pretty well. I dosed myself with Sudafed and nighttime cold medicine at night and I actually rode not too bad but I think I'm going to pay for it now. It was a looooong weekend with a cold. It was still fun though. It was warm and the rain held off so we had perfect riding all weekend.

Yahoo, a successful 2nd Annual mountain bike camp! Next year will be the charm

[KnottedYet]

Juju - that was a great article!

I especially like this quote: In 1910, Josephine Baker, M.D. started a program to teach hygiene to child care providers in New York. Thirty physicians sent a petition to the Mayor protesting that "it was ruining medical practice by...keeping babies well."

Thank goodness for those female doctors at the turn of the century!

[mimitabby]

Yes, I keep reliving my moment of doom. We'd gone to my mother's house and gave her a cup of hot broth. After she drank some of it, i took the cup back...
I didn't wash my hands, probably not until I was getting dressed for bed....
and now you know the rest of the story..
ak! She even said, "Don't take that, what I have might be contagious!"

ak! ak! ak!


I'm at work everyone, play the violin for me.

I survived pneumonia twice. and my grandmother and her sister and brother all survived the great flu way back when.

[Duck on Wheels]

No, there was no "sick tent"! All went pretty well. I dosed myself with Sudafed and nighttime cold medicine at night and I actually rode not too bad but I think I'm going to pay for it now. It was a looooong weekend with a cold. It was still fun though. It was warm and the rain held off so we had perfect riding all weekend.

Yahoo, a successful 2nd Annual mountain bike camp! Next year will be the charm

Yay!!:D So glad all went well in spite of the cold. Now you can lie back and let your cold force you to rest on your laurels. ;)

[DirtDiva]

There's been enough laurel-resting in this house! Off to the gym with me!

[roguedog]

Ok.. do many of you go to the gym as well as bike?

I joined a gym but i'm not sure if i'll stay. i probably should but i tend to not go and then i feel stupid/guilty/lazy/wasteful for being locked into a one year contract wehn i only use it for 30 days or something.

[mimitabby]

Rogue, I joined after I got the osteoporosis diagnosis. Now I am reading a book called "YOunger next year for women" which says you should do 45 minutes of exercise a year to offset our crappy lifestyle. No one (?) lives in a climate where they can ride 365 days a year, so a gym really helps.

For osteoporosis, you have to do weight bearing exercise and biking doesn't count AT ALL for that.
So i have to walk, run, stair step, and lift weights..

[LBTC]

roguedog I've done the gym thing a couple of times in my life, but always prefer the workout at home. I don't feel like I want to go out when I look as bad as I do when I'm sweaty! heehee

Over the years, we have acquired quite a collection of fitness equipment, so I have lots of choices, and tend to rotate through them - I'll use the gym for a few months, maybe switch to freeweights, do interval training, or my latest is kickboxing workouts using a heavy bag. In all we've spent quite a few $$, but it's probably less than we would have at a gym. And, when not being used as a gym, the equipment serves very nicely for hanging clothes off as they dry. :p

Yes, I still have the option to lack motivation and just hang out on the couch, but I'd be even more likely to do that if I didn't have all the stuff right here and couldn't make any excuses about having to drive somewhere, etc...

Start with a set of 5 lb dumbbells, do a bunch of walking lunges, and the usual freeweight exercises and see what you think. It might be for you!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[mimitabby]

LBTC
man.. We have had several bouts of buying exercise equipment. it is so pathetic, sometimes we don't even use it ONCE. then it sits and takes up space until I get rid of it. We've learned one thing at least, we get all this stuff used, so we aren't wasting as much money. I really admire you to be able to do that at home!

[snapdragen]

Now I am reading a book called "YOunger next year for women" which says you should do 45 minutes of exercise a year to offset our crappy lifestyle.



45 minutes a year? Wow! I can do that! :D ;) :p

[kelownagirl]

Hee hee, I'm done for the year then. :)

[Bad JuJu]

Rogue, I joined after I got the osteoporosis diagnosis. Now I am reading a book called "YOunger next year for women" which says you should do 45 minutes of exercise a year to offset our crappy lifestyle. No one (?) lives in a climate where they can ride 365 days a year, so a gym really helps.

For osteoporosis, you have to do weight bearing exercise and biking doesn't count AT ALL for that.
So i have to walk, run, stair step, and lift weights..
Well, I think the authors of Younger Next Year recommend a teensy bit more than 45 minutes of exercise a year.:D :D :D Sorry Mimi--couldn't resist.

The real point I want to make is that I read Younger Next Year for Women a while back and it rocks! Generally, most of us already know we should eat right, exercise regularly, yada yada yada. But this book gives an overview of the new findings in the science of aging that are behind its recommendations, which are to work out--hard--6 days a week and, as they put it, "stop eating crap," plus several other important recommendations--7 "rules" in all, for living better, stronger, healthier, almost to the moment of death.

I wrote a review of the book, in case anyone wants to check it out before plunging into this admittedly longish volume. Read the review on my blog, here: Younger Next Year for Women
(http://wksinprogress.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_wksinprogress_archive.html)

[Bad JuJu]

Thank goodness for those female doctors at the turn of the century!
And the midwives, who have gotten such a bad rap from the medical community for a long time.

[Pax]

And the midwives, who have gotten such a bad rap from the medical community for a long time.

Hear, hear. http://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Ti.gif

[KnottedYet]

And the midwives, who have gotten such a bad rap from the medical community for a long time.

I miss Lise. I liked her reports of babies she was catching. Glad she's happy with her new guy. She said she still wanders into TE once in a while. "Hi, Lise!"

I read your review of "younger next year", Juju. Thank you for posting the link! I liked the review, now I need to go get the book!

[mimitabby]

Yes, it was 45 minutes 6 days a week. Sorry, I wrote that right before I turned the lights out last night. Bad Juju, cool, you've read the book too.
I just got to the chapter where he tells you to buy a 5 thousand dollar bike.
YES!

I'm happy to say that my second son was delivered by a midwife.

[roguedog]

LOL.. this is me laughing slightly painfully at myself.

I found out.. I'm a spintard. What's that ya say?

I'm the newb in the back of the room whose pedals keep snapping out, thus causing slight cursing :) I'm the newb in the back of the room who can't seem to keep up when I stand up. HOw do you do the standing thing??

Everytime I had to do the standing thing I was either popping my pedals out or felling really uncomfortable on the bike. And now looking back I probably look like a poser spintard since I had my pedal and my bike shorts on. LOL :o :rolleyes:

Ok sistas.. what's the trick for the newb in the back of the room???

rd -- team spintard.. currently weak kneed from her first spin class.

[Trek420]

mimitabby "I just got to the chapter where he tells you to buy a 5 thousand dollar bike.
YES!"

or buy 5 $1,000 bikes? :cool: Either way, it's in writing, I'm supposed to buy bikes!

Happy V-Day TE and TE TD. I hope you and all your two and four footed loves have a great day.

R-dog, I rarely stand in spin class (or on the road), bad knees you know. In class when others stand I bump it up to higher gears.

[Bad JuJu]

Yes, Mimi, I confess that was a big part of why I liked the book--that the authors are such advocates of cycling. And getting yourself the best gear you can afford. Roger that!:D

[Bad JuJu]

Hey, R-dog, check out the Spinning forum--there are a few spinning instructors who post there pretty regularly--they might have some words of wisdom for you. Me, I'm just hanging on by a thread in my spinning class. I try to make sure I've got the tension turned up before I stand, so the flywheel doesn't grab my knees and whiz them around, and I've learned to try to center my weight between the handlebars and pedals. Sounds obvious, but it never occurred to me until someone here recommended it--hah, what a knucklehead.:rolleyes: :D

[LBTC]

45 minutes 6 days a week? How strenuous does it need to be? Does a brisk walk for 25 minutes count as part of it? Can it be in portions? My walk to work means I'd need only another 20 minutes after work. Yay! If I do 3 hours one day, does that let me take an extra day or two off? Generally, I think I'm on the way, and my body fat scale says my metabolic age is dropping again, so, YAY!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Bad JuJu]

Think it's more like an hour six days a week, and at least two of them should involve strength training. They say that if you're still in your 40s, four or five days a week can be enough, but once you're over 50, it's important to do six. And the reason it's better to do regular amounts on many days, rather than spiking it up to several hours one day then doing nothing the next, has to do with the blood chemistry that controls growth and decay.

Apparently, on the simplest of levels, our bodies understand two signals: grow or decay. After 50, the decay signal gets stronger, but we can overcome it with more movement: exercise, that is.

I'm WAY underqualified to be explaining this--I'm just paraphrasing from the book, which is an excellent read, even humorous in its way. Check it out!

[LadyinWhite]

Rogue, I joined after I got the osteoporosis diagnosis. Now I am reading a book called "YOunger next year for women" which says you should do 45 minutes of exercise a year to offset our crappy lifestyle. No one (?) lives in a climate where they can ride 365 days a year, so a gym really helps.

For osteoporosis, you have to do weight bearing exercise and biking doesn't count AT ALL for that.
So i have to walk, run, stair step, and lift weights..


I just want to toss out my 2c. I read Younger Next Year for Women two years ago and it genuinely changed my life. Not all the science explaining this and that.. not all the anecdotal evidence. But the simplicity of the basic premise. Exercise every day whether you want to or not. Stop eating crap.. etc.

It rang true to me.

Something clicked. I've lost 42lbs. I'm healthier and more fit than I've been in ages. I've become completely addicted to road cycling but will find a way to get the exercise in when I can't ride.

I'm only 42 and was just 40 when I read it. I know it's recommended for women in their 50's but.. for me.. it was just the kick in the pants I needed. Today, shoveling the driveway, I smiled thinking.. OMG, how great is it to be healthy? to be outside in the sleeting rain, shoveling wet heavy snow, face cold, wishing I was on a beach in belize.. but shoveling away, barely winded, lungs strong and not burning, body not even aware of being stressed b/c this was NOTHING compared to those *&!@ spinervals dvds!!

[mimitabby]

45 minutes 6 days a week? How strenuous does it need to be? Does a brisk walk for 25 minutes count as part of it? Can it be in portions? My walk to work means I'd need only another 20 minutes after work. Yay! If I do 3 hours one day, does that let me take an extra day or two off? Generally, I think I'm on the way, and my body fat scale says my metabolic age is dropping again, so, YAY!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

yes, walking definitely counts!

[kelownagirl]

Thanks, I just reserved this book at the library, given that I'll be 50 in only 3 years.

[kelownagirl]

Step away from the food!!!

Without even trying, I have managed to consume 2265 calories today. Darn Valentine's Day... Good thing I've been close to 1200 for the past few days.

[crazycanuck]

Bored? Here's a mystery for you...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10424153

Oh yea, here's a wierder one..

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/Oddities/070214/K021415AU.html
c

[LadyinWhite]

It was warm and the rain held off so we had perfect riding all weekend.


Ahhh.. How lovely!

Hope you feel better soon!

T
~currently suffering from weather envy~

[roguedog]

Ok. spintard update..

OUCH.. OUCH.. OUCH

That's me going down stairs. Kinda weird how I didn't even notice I was stressing my quads during the class. Very different from doing the weights thing where I know when I'm going to be sore due to more weight or more reps/sets.

Sorry.. new to the whole aerobics class thing.

Hmm.. wondering if I'm going to be able to go on a long ride on Sunday. How does one accelerate getting rid of lactic acid??

Someone told me to drink lots.. lots of water to flush it out.

So.. now I'll be like.. OUCH.. OUCH.. OUCH.. pppp... OUCh .. OUCH.. OUCH.. :D

[mimitabby]

Ok. spintard update..

OUCH.. OUCH.. OUCH

That's me going down stairs. Kinda weird how I didn't even notice I was stressing my quads during the class. Very different from doing the weights thing where I know when I'm going to be sore due to more weight or more reps/sets.


So.. now I'll be like.. OUCH.. OUCH.. OUCH.. pppp... OUCh .. OUCH.. OUCH.. :D

also go for lots of walks. So tell me, are there any spinning tapes for beginners; so far all I have heard is how hard and cruel they are.!

i hope you get out and stretch those legs today!

[KnottedYet]

Today looks like it will be beautiful! Dawn was lovely, the birds are going nuts, and more of my daffodils are up. If I were a good dog-mama I'd take my critter out for a run, but I've got too much to do before work this morning. I'll take him for a frolic at the dog park after work today instead.

I'm so glad to have an off-leash dog park nearby! (I don't have a yard at my apt.)

Big "thank yous" to anyone who has anything to do with the creation and support of off-leash dog parks!:p

[roguedog]

I'm with ya Knotted. (Hey where's the cool mug emoticon?)

Well.. here's a toast to those of ya that help with the off leash dog parks.

[KnottedYet]

I've got less than 5 hrs to finish making my apartment perfect! (that's when I'll leave to go get Trek at the airport.)

I've vacuumed, scrubbed, shined, polished, and COOKED.

I've made a batch of peanut butter cookies, a batch of cookies with chocolate chips, and a pot of beef + mushroom stew in the crock pot.

Suddenly my fridge looks empty because I've cooked everything!

Must clean more! Must grocery shop more!! Must cook more!!!

Knot-just-a-teensy-bit-nervous:o

[KnottedYet]

OMG!!! I forgot to clean the car!!!!:eek:

[Bikingmomof3]

Knot,
I am sure everything is just wonderful. The food sounds fantastic. Have a wonderful time. :D

[kelownagirl]

:D :D :D :D Trek and Knott.

[chickwhorips]

knot i'm sure everything will be just fine. and if you need some place to get rid of some of those cookies, i have an idea. ;)

have lots of fun this weekend!

[LBTC]

roguedog - to help those legs feel better.....

right after the intense exercise, stretch lots. Because you're feeling such discomfort now, make those quad stretches each last at least a minute for each stretch. spend at least 15 minutes stretches all the muscles in your legs. Waiting until the next day will not quite have as good of a result. This did work for me, btw, for post kick-boxing classes. The other thing that I think will help is to spin again today, just way lightly - get your legs to work warm for a good long time, stretch afterward, and hopefully you'll get them feeling happy again!!

Knot - quit worrying! Trek isn't coming out to see your house or your car....she's coming to see you! oh, yeah, and maybe for the food - sounds yummy!!

The weather here was amazing today. I got out on my lunch break down to the local park and took 195 pictures! The ducks and geese and swan were really in fine form today.

And then, Diva, my wonder dog was called upon to give a bit more blood! The took 200ml, which is about 1/3 of what she could safely give at one time. If we get enough cleaning done tonight and get the rest done early, we can meet the recipient and her owner tomorrow. I think we should. I'd like to get a picture of them all together.

Life is good! Everybody have a super weekend!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Wahine]

Knot, Trek isn't even going to see the apartment, she'll be too busy looking at you. Oh... and eating of course... food I mean. Baaaahhhhhh!! It's all their fault, that post last night has my mind in the gutter.

Have a great weekend. :D :D

PS - I tried to figure out a way to come ride to Red Hook with y'all. But no can do. Some other time, K?

[roguedog]

Knot, Trek isn't even going to see the apartment, she'll be too busy looking at you. Oh... and eating of course... food I mean. Baaaahhhhhh!! It's all their fault, that post last night has my mind in the gutter.
?


I wanna see the post too!! :))

LBTC - Thanks for the tips. Ya.. I had no idea the class would kick my apparently sorry butt so much. I'd never done these types of classes before. Or hell maybe it's jsut age these day. Will attempt more stretching.. Ow...

[Duck on Wheels]

OMG!!! I forgot to clean the car!!!!:eek:

OMG! Clean house!?! Clean car?!? Trek's response:
"Toto, we're not in Hayward any more"

[KnottedYet]

Trek is on her way back to San Francisco. Somewhere over Oregon right now, I'd guess.

whine........ :(

Won't see her until next month. whine....

[chickwhorips]

awe.... hugs knot.

just think, the next month will just fly by.

[Trek420]

I'm home! Spazzdog picked me up at the airport, aaack Oakland Airport is a mess. My dog is very happy to see me and looks well cared for by my pet sitter. See you in a month, Knott.

[Bad JuJu]

For Knot and Trek, in the words of some dead white guy ;) , "Parting is such sweet sorrow." Try to focus on how much fun the next homecoming will be.:)

[KnottedYet]

Next month we start condo-projects. Painting, flooring, kitchen. I love to paint, so this will be fun. Trek is using two different colors, turning one of her windowless (adjoins the other condo) walls into an accent wall.

Anybody got any favorite painting tips?

(one of my favorites: paint early in the day, then leave the house while it dries and airs out. Like, go for a bike ride! :D )

[Pax]

Anybody got any favorite painting tips?

1. Decide place needs a new coat of paint.
2. Hire a painter.
3. Go on vacation while painter makes magic happen.

[Trek420]

Today or tomorrow, the banker's being a jerk about the time

Trek "I have the day off today, I would rather sign today because it's a day off which I took to do this thing"
Wells Fargo "Oh, but we can do this Friday after your work, we have a mobile notary, it's so handy!!"
Trek "I just told you, Thursday is more convenient and after work...I wanna be home..."
anyway I'm supposed to refi my mortgage so it goes from :eek: :eek: :confused: :mad: :eek: to more like merely :eek: :eek:
This should allow me to do some much-needed nesting.

The condo looks like I foundaplaceboughtaplacemovedin and then preceded train to do back to back AIDS rides where all you do is work_eat_sleep_train...because I did.

The carpet has just gotta go, but it does make a handy back up tarp so might as well do any re-painting before I rip it out.

Knott but also Spazzdog both suggested that a warmer white in the living room should make it feel larger and warmer. Good thing about the living room, shaded by stand of 3 redwood trees in the geenspace bad thing about the living room....

The kitchen's a disaster, a lot to do but it's got potential and character.

But on the other hand if the sellers had done any of this I would not have been able to afford a place in the Bay Area.

[Bad JuJu]

The carpet has just gotta go, but it does make a handy back up tarp so might as well do any re-painting before I rip it out.

Knott but also Spazzdog both suggested that a warmer white in the living room should make it feel larger and warmer. Good thing about the living room, shaded by stand of 3 redwood trees in the geenspace bad thing about the living room....
That was going to be my painting tip: repaint before re-flooring. Been there, done that. :eek: Also, have you considered a very pale yellow--that could warm up a room, too. Some paint brands now offer little tester jars so you can actually paint a swatch of wall and live with it for a few days before sinking money into 5 gallons of whatever.

And if despite your best efforts, you end up with a color you don't like on the walls as much as you liked on the paint chip, you might try a faux-painting technique. In my bathroom, I painted over what turned out to be a yucky mauve by splatting on brushfuls of white and tan, then smooshing it with plastic bags. The mauve is still there, underneath, mostly hidden, but showing through here and there and lending a nice depth to the overall effect. This is just one idea--there are lots of things you can do with paint.

Sounds like a great place, with redwoods, green space, etc. Good luck with it!

[Trek420]

Bad JuJu,

splatting and smooshing sounds like great fun! I would like to stencil on walls or floor someday when I have a place I really want to stay in but there i go building condos in the sky. :)

But since my intention has been to turn the place within a few years I don't know about having a border of bicycles around the room :p The next buyer is likely to prefer to see SUV's :o

Queen, hiring a painter sounds great. I don't have the butch gene :(

So I'm not likely to put down my own flooring, and even less likely to install my own cabinets. But paint? I can do that though help is nice and fun. I did what I did to date, this'll just be much mo' better colors.

Spazzdog (who has an incredible eye and decorative sense) says when it's done I should hang my art and light the accent wall.

Who wants to go to Ikea with me?

When it comes to remodeling I don't like to go away and trust that it'll all happen while I'm gone. This is not Extreme Makeover where they send you to Disneyland (or in my case I'd want a bike tour) and you come back and it's done and fabulous.

What happens is contractors get to a decision point "uh, lady? This sink won't fit" and stand there scratching their heads, drinking Diet Pepsi with the clock running and the project stopped. Been there, done that....oh 3 or 4 times.

So you wanna be there or at least reachable by phone.

The other thing I don't let contractors do is clean up. "you there, tear things out, put them back together, I don't know how to do that. I did not hire you to sweep the sawdust. Go home." ;) :rolleyes:

[snapdragen]

Another idea with cupboards. If they are generally in good shape, you can go to Home Depot and have new doors and drawer fronts made. I did that in my bathroom, it made a huge difference, and didn't cost as much as redoing an entire double vanity.

[chickwhorips]

Who wants to go to Ikea with me?

me! me!
i was just talking about that yesterday. there is no Ikea here in alaska. so many things we don't have. :(

[Pax]

me! me!
i was just talking about that yesterday. there is no Ikea here in alaska. so many things we don't have. :(

Don't feel bad CWR, we don't have one either (actually, I've never been to one).

[Trek420]

Another idea with cupboards. If they are generally in good shape, you can go to Home Depot and have new doors and drawer fronts made. I did that in my bathroom, it made a huge difference, and didn't cost as much as redoing an entire double vanity.

They are not.

I took the doors off the kitchen cabs and the drawers off right away, tossed 'em, repainted the kitchen. The drawers were horrific.

Kitchen right now is open cabinet but I can't live or cook that way.

There's molding around the dining nook, don't know what it's called but about 1/3rd the way up the wall like waist high that goes around and that's now a deep deep red, below that is now a lemon curd yellow, above like a capucino foam white.

Picture the sellers huge blended household living in much too small a space for them and with an all fried food all the time diet with original 1970's dark pressboard cabs, I don't think they'd ever painted. Ewwww.

Let's not even talk about the floor. But again, I have to thank them because if they'd done even a lick of work I would not be here :)

Took a lotta TSP and TLC to be able to paint there. I don't even like to think about their circulatory system.

In life as in home remodel you choose your battles.

I don't like the layout of the cabs, one simple change could give me a whole lot more prep space. I ((((heart)))) counter space.

But maybe just want to make it liveable and or sellable.

I've heard that Ikea kitchens are even less expensive and I sure like the look. The only drawback is I hear you'd better measure about 20 bazzilion times because when they deliver you have 24 hours to discover "oops, I'm a millimeter off here". No returns after that. Where Lowes, Homeless Depot they will even come out and double check your work if you want. .

[Kitsune06]

Gawd, Trek, if I didn't have a job and all I'd just fly down there an' help with all the mz-fixit stuff. oh, the things we give up in life to be practical! :rolleyes: :D

[Trek420]

Kit, thanks but let's not ruin a good friendship by working on a condo shall we? You know anyone who likes their contractor/carpenter once they get done? I don't;) :cool: :rolleyes:

But yes, oh the things we could all do and places we could see if we didn't have jobs and such. Fie on being a grown-up.

Queen, CWR, The in-person Ikea experience is highly overrated, huge ungainly store, be happy they don't have one.

Their herring in sour cream and Swedish meatballs available near the checkout line, those are good. :)

Avoid the crowd and parking lot, get the catalog, shop online, they deliver!! :D :D :D

[Xrayted]

TreKnot - I love to paint and I'm a pretty decent carpenter. Anything I can help with just speak up. Even just measuring, and remeasuring, and remeasuring... Um, just don't ever ask me to wallpaper. :eek: My Mom still gets palpitations from my last adventure. Wait, I won't do carpet again either. I swear, my knees hurt for a year. :(

Oh, I looooooove Ikea. I like to roam around and sit on the chairs, bounce on the beds, check out all the little kitchen gadgets, click on all the lamps... and then just get some meatballs/sauce and head home. :o (Hey Jen, they've got Lingonberries!!!!)

*X-I'm at one with Home Depot-rayted* (they actually know me by name here :cool:)

[Duck on Wheels]

Kit, thanks but let's not ruin a good friendship by working on a condo shall we? You know anyone who likes their contractor/carpenter once they get done? I don't;) :cool: :rolleyes:

I'm still married to mine. Wanna borrow him for a few days this summer? We'll be flying over to watch you and UK ride in to LA. Maybe he could do a bit of cabinetry work when we're back up in NoCal? He's slow, though, so not much would be finished. He measures and draws and plans for days before cutting and nailing, and meditates over the tricky bits (like moldings around corner cabinets) for hours. Which is why our kitchen looks so gooooood. :)

[spokewench]

I'm still married to mine. Wanna borrow him for a few days this summer? We'll be flying over to watch you and UK ride in to LA. Maybe he could do a bit of cabinetry work when we're back up in NoCal? He's slow, though, so not much would be finished. He measures and draws and plans for days before cutting and nailing, and meditates over the tricky bits (like moldings around corner cabinets) for hours. Which is why our kitchen looks so gooooood. :)

Are you sure you're not married to my husband? That sounds just like him. It must have taken him 5 days to put the 6 or so tiles next to the toilet cause he wanted it just a certain way!

[Kitsune06]

Uh. Yeah. I take the zen approach to decorating/building. If it doesn't match up right? Plane it down. Use filler. *shrug* It ends up exactly the way it's 'supposed' to. ... but everything is 'supposed' to be just a liiiiittle bit different 'round me. :D

[Trek420]

me! me!
i was just talking about that yesterday. there is no Ikea here in alaska. so many things we don't have. :(

oh, so many things you don't have; gridlock, traffic jam in "the maze" any time they have a sale .... we feel so bad. ;) :rolleyes: :cool: will trade you for wildlife, peace and quiet ....

Kit, are you sure you're not the gal who tiled my bathroom? ;) :cool: :rolleyes: "tiles schmiles, these boarder/edge tiles can go .... oh, just about anywhere I want like here in the middle, just add more grout" :rolleyes: :confused: :o very creative :D :cool:

[chickwhorips]

will trade you for wildlife, peace and quiet ....

na that's ok.......

[Trek420]

na that's ok.......

Darn! ;) :rolleyes: :p Well, a girl can always ask.

[KnottedYet]

There's molding around the dining nook, don't know what it's called but about 1/3rd the way up the wall like waist high that goes around and that's now a deep deep red, below that is now a lemon curd yellow, above like a capucino foam white.

I think that's called a "chair rail". Can't get up the energy to go to wikipedia to check that, but I think that's what it's called.

[Kitsune06]

Kit, are you sure you're not the gal who tiled my bathroom? ;) :cool: :rolleyes: "tiles schmiles, these boarder/edge tiles can go .... oh, just about anywhere I want like here in the middle, just add more grout" :rolleyes: :confused: :o very creative :D :cool:

That would explain all of the strange, strange dreams I had, heading to Cali with flowers in my hair, jeans and birks, only to... um... tile a lady's bathroom.

[KnottedYet]

Good luck on your test today, Trek! I'm sending out good vibes from 7:30 to 10:30! (pacific standard time:D )

[Geonz]

Queen, we're not missing *anything* not having IKEA IMO. Yukky stuff.
Crate & Barrel, now, I'd like to see a nice outlet tucked in behind the Meijer they're going to put up on Philo & Windsor...

[Pax]

Queen, we're not missing *anything* not having IKEA IMO. Yukky stuff.
Crate & Barrel, now, I'd like to see a nice outlet tucked in behind the Meijer they're going to put up on Philo & Windsor...

A Crate & Barrel and a Trader Joes and I'd be tickled pink! :D

[LBTC]

I think that's called a "chair rail". Can't get up the energy to go to wikipedia to check that, but I think that's what it's called.

Yes, it's a chair rail. We got rid of ours in the dining room during the Christmas holiday kitchen repaint. So happy with the change!

Colour is great! Don't be shy with it. Choose colours that set the mood you want, and that have enough brightness you don't need to have the pale washed out colours....

Hugs and colourful butterflies!
~T~

[chickwhorips]

Good Luck Trek!!!!!!!!!

[Xrayted]

Good luck Trek!! :) :D :) :D

[KnottedYet]

SHE PASSED!!!!!!
:D :D :D :D :p :p :p :p :D :D :D :D


I'm so proud of my electrical engineering telecommunications electronics technology mathematical genius!!!!

[Pax]

SHE PASSED!!!!!!
:D :D :D :D :p :p :p :p :D :D :D :D

WOO HOO, WAY TO GO TREK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Duck on Wheels]

SHE PASSED!!!!!!
:D :D :D :D :p :p :p :p :D :D :D :D


I'm so proud of my electrical engineering telecommunications electronics technology mathematical genius!!!!

I think this calls for an extra birthday-celebratory-and-exam-congratulatory donation to her AIDS Lifecycle ride :D :D :D Perhaps also one from her electronics engineer BIL ...? That's rider #4223 -- http://www.aidslifecycle.org/4223

[Kitsune06]

WOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOO
HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

[Trek420]

Thanks all.

The test is called the DTSAT. Everything's an acronym @ da' phone company, this one stands for Digital Technology Skill Assesment Test. It's a test of basic electronics knowlege including digital switching systems, transmission, digital logic .... it's 3 hours long and it's a doozie.

Midway through the tester said "we're calculating the results and you're all doing well so far" but that was before the section where :eek: :eek: I was muttering "shoulda paid more attention when Kit was specking in ASCI and 1's and 0's because I sure could use that now". :o

There are many many traditions in da' phone company.

One is when they announce the test results they call up the ones who did NOT pass first.

So we were waiting in the lobby, about 20 of us, all the others took the 3 month long class for this test and knew each other.

I studied on BART each day. :o

I'm off to the side kinda collapsed on the couch and the tester calls me over.

"Oh well, guess I can take it again in 6 months". :o

But she just wanted me there .... when she announced that the whole group passed!!

We applauded each other as we each got a copy of the results.

What this means is that I can now put in for jobs in the "technical side of the fence"; testing tecnicians, FACS admin, Comtech, they are really pushing for fiber to the prem tech's for Project Lightspeed but I don't think I want to do that.

Does not mean that the openings are there although there is what we call "movement in the company", people moving around and creating openings by doing that...but it does mean I can apply for them, more ways to move around and get a change of scenery from this cubicle here and more $$$.

But I told my manager "I passed the DSTAT :) :) but I love it here of course :cool: "

[Xrayted]

WOOHOO TREK!!!!!

*X falls over a cracks her head on the floor, xray geeks come in, haul her off to the "the room" and start cutting off her clothes.* Hey, wait! Ya don't gotta cut my clothes off for a head xray! :eek: *smackin' patties and kickin' shins* :D

hee hee hee...... way to go Trek. I had no doubts. ;)

[Kitsune06]

X-I'LL SAVE YOU!!!!
*starts ordering people around* You! I want an AP shot here and a PA shot there and YOU! HAND ME THOSE SCISSORS!

*naughty grin*

[snapdragen]

Way to go Trek - congratulations!

[Xrayted]

X-I'LL SAVE YOU!!!!
*starts ordering people around* You! I want an AP shot here and a PA shot there and YOU! HAND ME THOSE SCISSORS!

*naughty grin*

Who? What the...? Wait!! Noooooooo!!!

Hey, who shot JR?... what do you mean he wasn't shot? It was all a dream? Awww, sh*t. :(

Guess I'll go back to playing my Atari.... what do you mean there is no Atari anymore? Awww, sh*t.:(

Well, then maybe I'll go hang out with Kelly... Crap, she's married? With who's kids? When did that happen? She's only 14!! Awww, sh*t. :(

Well, then I guess I'll go for a bike ride. Where's my bike? That's my bike? And that one too? Awww, yeah!!! I'm gonna be juuuuust fine... :cool: :cool: :D

(psst! who's the cute chic holding the scissors? :rolleyes:)

[Kitsune06]

Who? What the...? Wait!! Noooooooo!!!

Hey, who shot JR?... what do you mean he wasn't shot? It was all a dream? Awww, sh*t. :(

Guess I'll go back to playing my Atari.... what do you mean there is no Atari anymore? Awww, sh*t.:(

Well, then maybe I'll go hang out with Kelly... Crap, she's married? With who's kids? When did that happen? She's only 14!! Awww, sh*t. :(

Well, then I guess I'll go for a bike ride. Where's my bike? That's my bike? And that one too? Awww, yeah!!! I'm gonna be juuuuust fine... :cool: :cool: :D

(psst! who's the cute chic holding the scissors? :rolleyes:)


Uh... Mz. Rayted- I thought K shot JR, Atari just released "The Matrix: The Path of Neo" and "Test Drive: Unlimited"? Oh, and that cute chick holding the scissors is serious. :D :p

(I knew you had to have your head examined...)

[Xrayted]

Oh yeah. That's right. It was when Bobby died that it was all a dream. Awww, sh*t. :(

um... wrong Atari for the times, chica. ;)

(don't forget the laterals on that skull, hon. do them erect or crosstable as we would be looking at the sinuses for fluid levels. soemtimes only way to know you have a fx. and, that's the only view where you can see all 4 kinds.)

Now seriously, put down those scissors... :eek:

[Kitsune06]

*cough, snort, giggle*

wanna play frogger? Pong? I got the new 2600- we can play Space Invaders!

[Bikingmomof3]

SHE PASSED!!!!!!



CONGRATULATIONS TREK!!!!!!!!!!!:cool: :D :cool: :D :cool: :D :cool: :D :cool:

[chickwhorips]

Congrats Trek!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

we knew you'd do it!

[Wahine]

Way to go Trek and shake things up at the phone co for me would ya. they need periodic shakin' up.

[LBTC]

Yahoo! Congrats Trek! The butterflies are in a fenzie now!

Hugs and BFs
~T~

[kelownagirl]

Congrats Trek! It's good to pass stuff. :rolleyes: :D

[crazycanuck]

WAHOOOOOOOEEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEEYYYYYYYY..I;'m doing the happy dance for ya Trek..:)

Wahooooooooooooo

C

[salsabike]

Hey, CC, what's the weather doing? And how are you?

We're back in the hotel because they did the last hardwood floor finish today. The fumes set off the newly installed smoke alarms, so we had to drive 20 miles back home to pull out all the batteries and shut off the circuit breaker. And 20 miles back to the hotel. At 10 pm tonight. But better that than having some passerby report it and the firemen break in and tromp all over the newly finished floors. Sheesh.

[crazycanuck]

Hey Salsa,

Think about it Salsa: if the fire dept did make a visit, it may have been a cute, buff firefighter..:D Not a bad way to end the night..except the floors..nya mabye not..

The house will look booooteful once completed :) . Say hello to the man & beeper. How did you enjoy the ride last weekend?

Today was great but a bit hot as it was 35c.

I had a wonderful ride today. I was going to ride from home to our group ride but there was a small problem of finding more water once I made it to the meeting point. I had enough for a 2 1/2hr ride so here's what I did. I rode to a train station 6km from my house, took the train to the cbd, biked 6km to the meeting point and then did the 60km ride. (i then rode to pilates..another few km...all up i rode 80km today..)

It went really well. I set my timer for every 30min to remind myself to have a power gel which worked fine. I drank all my water & felt pretty good until somehow i lost my oomph for some reason. It was then i lost sight of my group and thought I was lost. I came to an intersection/turn off where i didn't see any of the group..so i turned left & followed the road. I'd never actually been down this particular road & thought ok i'll follow it thinking it would take me to the canning bridge..nup..Stopped and asked for directions. To make a long story short, i was going the right way & i found the group again. :)

Good news is i'm getting better at the hills :) I can sprint up them staying seated to a certain extent but sometimes get the gearing just a smidgen wrong. (a while back we were given some info by our coach to stay seated in the climbs..works for me!)

We're doing an easy non technical 40 km mtn bike ride tomorrow-just a small last minute test to check certain things out prior to our 102km ride next weekend. Please send good vibes down this way & fingers crossed for coolish weather(nothing over 30c please.)

have a good evening.

C

[LBTC]

Wow, CC those are some pretty serious distances in very warm weather! Good luck with your ride tomorrow, and keep doing all the water and gels or other fuel. I'm convinced it's what gets us through!

And, yes, I do my best to stay seated on the hills, too, unless it's only a couple of pedal strokes, as it cranks both my muscles and my heartrate to stand! More staying power without serious cranking!

Salsa, please let us know how that hardwood looks when you're done! Pictures?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Wahine]

Wow CC. That sound awesome. Good job on the ride. I'm afraid I won't be keeping up this weekend. Something's not right so I'm taking some extra time off training.

I'll be sending you vibes all week to get ready for the big ride!!

[KnottedYet]

I just saw "Menopause, the musical" with my mom. Oh, man, I laughed so hard! It was great fun! If you get the chance (and if you are of a certain age) go see it!

[Lise]

Hey, guys! Uh... gals! I cannot believe TD is well into the 10,000s on posts. Whew. It seems like just yesterday that we passed 5,000...sniff...how the time flies, especially when I disappear for months!

I'm doing OK. Had a tough week, put one of my cats to sleep when he got very sick, very fast. Isaac was 15 years old, and the sweetest, lovingest little guy. So it's back to me and Ariel, who's 17, and seems pretty healthy, if a bit creaky.

Things are good with J. and me, for those who remember. Never enough time to spend together. We're going to Italy for a week in 25 days (yes, counting the days), and I realized that, as excited as I am about Rome, where I've never been, I'm most excited about us getting to spend uninterrupted time together. So I'm figuring that's a good thing. :)

The other day he said, "So, when you ride your bike, where do you go?" And I thought, "honey, I go hard and fast, and I doubt you can keep up with me...", but what I said was, "Oh, there are some cool trails in the forest preserves, and the south lake front path is great..." At present it's horribly icy and sleety around here, and *I* am not getting on a bike yet. I do see some brave souls out there, no matter the weather, and I'm truly impressed. When it does warm up enough around here, it will be great to go out riding, both together and alone.

CC--really impressive!

Salsa--I can't believe you're still hotelling it! :eek: Whew. How are the cats?

Trek--congrats on whatever you passed--I'm going to have to read back and find it!

OK, back to work here at the Baby Factory...greetings to all! :D L.

[Trek420]

Lise, sooo good to "see" you! I'm sorry to hear about your fur-kid.

So J. wants to start cycling with you? That man wants to keep up with you, never underestimate the motivation, he may catch up.

The test saga on page 691, thanks for the congrats.

There's a baby factory? Who knew. Do they give factory tours with free samples at the end? Is there an outlet store with seconds in Vacaville?

Knott, if you like the musical you'll be humming the tunes and tapping your toes for the real thing :p ;) :cool:

[Kitsune06]

Trek!
I had no idea there was a factory either. Here I go, I know real well about doin' it the home-made way but factories? Where's the quality control? Does that explain kids these days?
Oh...
From what I hear, you don't want seconds...
I'm gonna opt out ALL TOGETHER thanks :D
but I'll keep practicing just the same :D


Lise- Glad to see you again, Ms baby-catcher-extraordinare. Missed you lots!

[salsabike]

Trek, you are so damn funny.

Lise! How nice to see you! I'm sorry about your cat. Our vet tells us that Beeper will go like that one of these days, but so far she is actually doing quite well. She is getting only two subcutaneous fluid treatments a week, her kidney numbers are all stable so far, and she is thinner but back to being very much her yakkity, petting-demanding, head-butting self. And Nina's doing fairly well too. I do think the house stuff has been pretty hard on them and I'm hoping we'll get those guys OUT of there soon. The house is close to done. I guess. It's costing a terrifying amount but it is really beautiful, and I will post pics soon.

I can't wait to hear about your Italy trip. It is delightful to hear from you. When we went to Rome, we by accident found Via de Coronari (I think that's it), which is a whole street of antique dealers, and that night they were all open and having a street sale. It was fabulous! I think that may be a regular event, so you might want to check it out. The Pantheon is one of the loveliest buildings I have ever seen. And the Vatican museum....bibblebabble. I'm glad you're well.

PS The latest house thrill was last night. We were at the hotel, about 15 miles north, when our neighbor called to say that the fumes from the hardwood floor finish had set off the new smoke/CO alarms. We called 911 to say, hey, we have malfunctioning alarms so if someone reports our house, please know there's no emergency. The fire guys said, okay, we'll note it in the system, but the police on the line said, no, you have to go turn it off because if anyone reports in we have to respond. So we got to drive back down, go on the newly finished floor in our socks, in a house that STANK like rubbing alcohol, and pull all the batteries and turn off the circuit breaker. Then drove back here. Yes, welcome to the world of snails and adventure...

[KnottedYet]

LISE!!!!!!!

Oh, it's sooooo good to see you again!:D :D :D

[LBTC]

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Lise}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} sorry you've lost one of your fur kids. I'll ask Yogi dog to greet her and show her around the rainbow bridge. Nice to see you again, though!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[KnottedYet]

Today's B'fast: juevos rancheros and coffee.

After church I'll be setting up the crock pot for vichysoisse. Now if I could only get some brave sous-chef to chop the onions for me....

Dinner will be vichysoisse and a sorghum beer. Weather looks like it might be a good afternoon for a bike ride, so y'all go riding and then come over for dinner, ok?

[chickwhorips]

hi lise!!!

good to hear from you! sorry to hear about your loss.
have fun on your trip. and remember stories and pics are a must! :)

[DirtDiva]

I thought that kind of job was exactly what sons were for, Knot...

*waves at Lise*

[Geonz]

Hi Lise! Been wondering what you were up to... and whether you were braving the ILlinois Weather...

[KnottedYet]

watchin' the Oscars.

Family is being well represented: Ellen, Melissa, Jodie. (oh, and let's not forget Tammi, who got kissed on national television!)

Is it just me, or was Travolta's comment somewhat tasteless?

[snapdragen]

Is it just me, or was Travolta's comment somewhat tasteless?

What did he say? I missed it..

[Wahine]

Is Jodie official? I thought she was just rumoured.

Unfortunately, I can't watch the Oscars, no TV. I'm sooooooo out of touch. So I have no idea what Travolta said about Melissa. But I'm ready to kick his azz. I love Melissa.

[KnottedYet]

He made a snarky comment about full-figured women singing on the Oscar stage (after Melissa sang) and then did a little f*ggy wiggle and said "But enough about me."

I dunno, it just seemed stupid and a bit rude.

(Jodie is officially unofficial, but everyone assumes.)

[Wahine]

JT is soooooo dead if he ever sets foot in my neighborhood.

[Trek420]

Is Jodie official? I thought she was just rumoured.

She's officially rumored. But she's always made my Gay'dar go "ding ding ding ding" but don't go by me, my gay'dar doesn't work.

Suze Orman always set my Gay'dar off and now she's official, so maybe it does work.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070224/ap_en_tv/people_orman_3

[LBTC]

He made a snarky comment about full-figured women singing on the Oscar stage (after Melissa sang) and then did a little f*ggy wiggle and said "But enough about me."

I dunno, it just seemed stupid and a bit rude.


Apparently, JT is in a movie in which he dresses as a full-figured woman....it hasn't come out yet. Maybe that's what he was refering to. I hope so, I usually think he's a pretty nice guy.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0427327/

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Bruno28]

Happy Birthday Chickwhorips!!!!!!

:D :D :D :D :D

[Pax]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CWR!!!!

http://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gifhttp://QB.smugmug.com/photos/49063420-Th.gif

[KnottedYet]

Apparently, JT is in a movie in which he dresses as a full-figured woman....it hasn't come out yet. Maybe that's what he was refering to. I hope so, I usually think he's a pretty nice guy.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0427327/

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

thanks for the link! now it makes sense. Gee, if you didn't know he'd been doing Hairspray, it sure did look like he was snarking at Melissa Etheridge!

[KnottedYet]

Happy Birthday, CWR!!! :D

[Bikingmomof3]

Happy Birthday to You! Cha, Cha, Cha
Happy Birthday to You! Cha, Cha, Cha
Happy Birthday Dear CWR
Happy Birthday to You! Cha, Cha, Cha

[Xrayted]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CWR!!! :cool: :D :cool: :D

[mtbdarby]

Jodie who? I'm so not in the loop:p I watched about 10 minutes last night. It just doesn't interest me.

Sending virtual chocolate cake to you CWR - yummy!@!!

[Xrayted]

Jodie Foster... and I thought she was totally out a few years ago? Hmmm. :rolleyes:
I know how you feel Dar, I never watch "regular" tv anymore these days. I was forced to watch the Oscars last night however. That may be the first time ever that I've seen a whole one. I can do without the whole red carpet part though. :o Ellen was a great hostess too I thought. I did love the people behind the light screen making shadow pictures with their bodies. :cool:
As for the comment, yeah Knot, I took it as him busting on his character in his new movie coming out.

Well, made more progress today on upcoming events. WOW. So much to think about and setup ahead of time. Anyway, thanks to my sisters for all their support and guidance. It really means a lot. :D

Have a super day and be safe.

[mimitabby]

Buon Auguri a te! Cha, Cha, Cha
Buon Auguri a te! Cha, Cha, Cha
Buon Auguri CWR
Buon Auguri a te! Cha, Cha, Cha

I would like to repeat what Jennifer said, but with different colors. oh, and in another language :D

[Kitsune06]

Glücklicher Geburtstag zu Ihnen! cha cha cha~
Glücklicher Geburtstag zu Ihnen! cha cha cha ~
Glücklichem Geburtstag, CWR
Glücklicher Geburtstag zu Ihnen! cha cha cha~

[Lise]

Hi, everybody! Thanks for all the lovely greetings! I've missed you guys, but I seldom sit down at the computer these days, except to pay bills, of course...

Happy Birthday, CWR! How does one celebrate up in the wilds? Do the Landlord and his Wife lay down their ancient animosity toward human beings and bring by a cake made of ... um... berries and fish? :p Have a great day, no matter how you celebrate. :D

Salsa, I'm glad that the Beeper is hanging in there and being feisty. I first noticed that Isaac was truly sick when he didn't demand dinner last Wednesday. That was his job, to bug me for dinner. When he didn't do it, it was an alarming thing. I think he'd been sick for awhile, and I just didn't see it. I knew he was skinnier and sleeping more, but I figured, well, he's old... In a way, I'm glad I hadn't taken him to the vet sooner. It would have been scary and painful for him, very sad, worrisome, and expensive for me, and it wouldn't have changed the outcome, anyway. As it was, I spent over $600 testing and treating him. After 6 days, it was clear he was worse, much worse. It was time to set him free. I appreciate the loving thoughts from all here...I remembered the posts I'd read about the Rainbow Bridge, and so you all were with me in spirit. I'll attach a picture of Isaac, my little orange guy, and Ariel, his "sister", who's still hanging in there at 17 years old.

Yeah, the baby factory...we're really more of a distribution center, I suppose :p As for a seconds store...that'd probably be across the border in Wisconsin (yikes! ducking whatever Dar just threw at me!)

I cannot believe the tenacity of folks who ride their bikes in this weather in Chicago. We had a snow/sleet storm over the weekend. Sunday morning I nearly wiped out twice, cautiously walking J's dog in my best snow-walking shoes. Heck, the dog even wiped out on the ice one time. How people stay upright on bikes is beyond me. But they do. Lots of cyclists, and not the ones wearing fancy clothes, either. Just jeans, sneakers, whatever. In fact, I'll bet I see ten regular-clothes cyclists to every one "appropriate-winter-riding-gear" rider. I even saw one gal last week, riding in low-cut jeans, who kept trying to pull the back of her jeans up to cover her lower back, which was totally exposed to the below freezing temps and slush flying up from the street! Now that just seemed a bit...well...stupid. :rolleyes:

Ahhhh, they're paging me. Back to work. Love to all! L.

[salsabike]

Lise, he's beautiful. I'm sorry you lost him. But I'm glad you had him.

[KnottedYet]

What a sweet cat. I'm so sorry, Lise.

As for the Oscars, I guess if I watched more TV and paid more attention to the media, I'd've known about Travolta's upcoming role in Hairspray. Ahh, the life of a hermit...;)

[Wahine]

Cumpleanos Feliz!
Cumpleanos Feliz!
Cumpleanos Cumpleanos
Cumpleanos Feliz!

Bonne fete a tois!
Bonne fete a tois!
Bonne fete Bonne fete
Bonne fete a tois!

[chickwhorips]

thank you for all the birthday wishes and the singing. you all should be on american idol!!!!!!


JSending virtual chocolate cake to you CWR - yummy!@!!
now thats to good kind! no calories!!! thanks!!!


How does one celebrate up in the wilds? Do the Landlord and his Wife lay down their ancient animosity toward human beings and bring by a cake made of ... um... berries and fish? :p

actually my boss made the other kind of chocolate cake. DEATH BY CHOCOLATE :eek: and brought it into work. it was sooooooo good. otherwise, i have nothing planned, not much else to do.

[KnottedYet]

How are the feet? Doing any foot exercises yet?

[KnottedYet]

Suze Orman needs to make me RICH!!!!

I just checked out the only two Suze Orman books at my library. (uh, 'scuse me? but those cover photos are just a little frighteningly intense?) I also put a hold on the one she wrote for the "young, fabulous, and broke." (aka recent graduates who are in debt to their eyeballs)

Now, if she and her wife can have 27 million dollars to play with, why can't I?

Suze-baby, ya got until March 19th to make me rich. Then I gotta give the books back to the library!

:D

[Bikingmomof3]

Knot,
Good luck with Suze. If you learn the secrets tell me, please. I read her books some time ago and while many of her ideas were great, I did not have the necessary funds to begin them. :o I have not read Young, Fabulous, and Broke, but watched her discussing the book on PBS. The crowd she was addressing on average was about 19. :rolleyes: Nothing applied, but I did not read the book, so there may have been more realistic goals for those with car, house, medical, insurance and student loans payments. In addition kids to feed, clothe and raise. I have a ton of student loans though, so I had hoped it would help. :( Maybe you will have much greater success :) and when you do, please share the tips with me. I have only a few years before I have 3 in college. :eek:

Now I am depressed. :rolleyes: Off to make more French Press (which Suze would tel me is not in my budget).

Have a wonderful day everyone!! :)

[Trek420]

If Suze only knew what we pay for wool :cool: :rolleyes: ;)

[roguedog]

Hey BMo3,

I really enjoyed reading Automatic Millionaire. It just seems more practical. It isn't a magical get rich scheme.

It's more the turtle's way.. which seems more real to me than some. Maybe it's just the way he presents it.

I've seen Suze Orman on tv.. She is a bit tooo... militant or something for me. Or maybe it's condescending.

Anyway, I liked David Bach. I think he has one for you. It's called Couples Finish Rich. HAvne't read it so can't comment.

[Pax]

Roguedog - I read and enjoyed the Automatic Millionaire as well. Very simple and to-the-point.

[LBTC]

One day on clear fluids over, and I'm home from work for the first time in almost a year! I could not believe how awful I felt when I got up this morning! And the worst is yet to come. I should enjoy these hours before I drink the dreaded purgative.....

The test is tomorrow at 9:45 am. Ack. That's more than 24 hours away! This is one of the most difficult, non difficult things I've ever done!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[KnottedYet]

hang in there!

(don't butterflies only eat clear liquids anyway? So you're not alone?)

I'll have some corn totilla chips in your honor today!

[Kitsune06]

Hang in there, LBTC~

This, too, shall pass. :p

[chickwhorips]

How are the feet? Doing any foot exercises yet?

the right foot is doing wonderful. as long as i don't stomp on it really hard i have no pain. i can do exercises on that foot, so if you have ideas let me know.

the left foot is swollen and sore still. its been almost two weeks. i can't wait for it to start feeling better.



hang in there LBTC!

[LBTC]

I saw a neat foot exercise once...in bare feet, use your toes to pull a towel on the floor towards you. Of course, it has to be on a smooth surface and it will get all wrinkly.

I'm currently congratulating myself. I just cleaned up the kitchen and was around plenty of interesting food and was not tempted to eat any of it. Either I have better will power than I thought, or this clear liquid diet has ruined my usually non-stop appetite! heh

Now I'm taking my camera outside to see if I can catch a shot of the quicky disappearing frost on my maple tree. Later I hope there is sunshine as I bought cut orchids just so that I'd have something nice to take pictures of today. It's super foggy right now, but it may burn off to reveal a beautiful day. I hope so!

Is that pretty good hanging in there?

Thanks ladies!

oh, yes, and happy birthday CWR!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Wahine]

This stuff sucks but you know you've got to do it. Hopefully you'll have a bunch of new and useful information after the fact. Remember to maximize your salt intake to avoid muscle cramping!!.

Dar - Congrats on DS and the dry night
CWR - Glad to hear the foots coming along
Queen and RD - are you both millionaires now?

[roguedog]

Wahine,

Hmm.. it is the turtle way :)

When the company I worked for got sold and I cashed in my options.. Woohoo! "I'm a thousand-aire!!" is what I telling myself. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately I had to spend it on a family emergency but at least i had it i supposed. God giveth, Murphy taketh away... heh..

[Pax]

Wahine - You betcha! I've got gobs of spare money laying around now...want some? :D

Like Rogue said, it's a slow but steady process. The big thing I'm planning on following is to make two (half) house payments per month once we get into a house.

[LBTC]

Hi, Queen

We do bi-weekly house payments too. It will help get the house paid off faster.

Here's my latest conundrum. Starts with good news, which, of course, I make very complicated very quickly, as is my nature.

I get a bonus tomorrow! The gross amount is about 12% of my gross annual wage! Nice, isn't that??

So, yes, that would be enough to buy the beautiful pink orbea diva, but that would be irresponsible. We have consumer debt to pay off amongst other things. Darn, eh?

We have already switched that debt to lower interest credit cards and are making a good dent on it monthly. We still don't know how much DH will be brining home on his cheques, or even when he'll get his cheques, as he is so new to his job, but we're hoping that we can stop dipping into savings for this. We are set up well with retirement savings so far, and have a good investment that should net some good profits in a few years if we can manage to buy out a partner this year....complicated.

Anyway, it just occured to me that we can use this money for 'Cuda to have the operation on his foot that he needs. I feel like a terrible fur-mom that he's had a sore on his toe for so long, but the vet made it sound like it is certainly not urgent, and they should be able to just pop the sore right out of there once he's under. There is no sign of infection at all, in the bone or otherwise, so we're lucky.

So now I have to pitch to DH that we need to do this right away, since we have the money. It will take around 10% of the bonus to do it. Yes, the rest can go to the debt. (boring). Worse than that, he has a Friday off in a few weeks, which I have also taken off, and I think we may end up spending it together taking 'Cuda to the vet....does that sound twisted? Maybe I should take him in myself one day when we don't have a chance to get away. We can't really afford to "go" anywhere just yet, so away would really just be a day time 1 hour or less drive.

Ah, decisions.

This is the rambling of one who is not getting enough fuel and getting to know her toilet far too well today. All in the name of science and complete diagnosis. Sorry for the ramblings!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Pax]

LBTC - Taking care of your fur-baby and paying off debt are both excellent things but maybe you and DH could take 5-10% just for yourselves to have some fun?

[Duck on Wheels]

Such wise women :)
Paying off your debt effectively increases the bonus, since it's also saving you interest on the debt. With this big chunk coming in, and given that you're making such a sensible investment with it, I agree with Queen that you can afford to siphon off a margin for 'Cuda's surgery, and maybe another small margin for a treat (even if it is Lent now). The treat is to help so you don't "burn out" from being sensible, so you're still motivated to invest your next windfall in a similar fashion. Oh, and an argument for your DH: 'Cuda's surgery is also an investment -- not just in taking care of the fur kid, and thereby also of your conscience, but also so the sore doesn't get worse and require far more urgent and expensive care.

[LBTC]

Thanks for the tips.

I've just booked 'Cuda's surgery for this Friday morning, and discussed the treat concept with DH. We'll have a second windfall when the tax return is done, so we know that's coming soon. The idea is - we'll see what's left when the one debt is paid off, then use some of that for the "treat". And we've agreed that the treat will be something tangible for the house, not a night in a hotel room or an expensive dinner out (or both). Yay!

Insides are starting to feel pretty nasty now. I've kept myself distracted most of the day with picture taking and surfing the forum...and checking work emails once in awhile. Not too shabby, for such a "cr@ppy" day (never mind the pun).

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[KnottedYet]

Affordable housing:
www.tumbleweedhouses.com

(to take your mind off your guts... or you could make your self feel happy that you have a full-sized bathroom?):p

[LBTC]

Ack! No! The four furry kids and DH and I need WAAAAY more space than that! :D And, thankfully, we have it!

And not just one full sized bath, but two! Apparently I'll be "active" through the night, so I'll be "sleeping" downstairs in the spare room and using that bathroom all night, so as to not disturb DH any more than necessary.

I am a lucky woman, indeed! (yes, I still feel cr@ppy, so to speak)

H&B
~T~

[salsabike]

Put a good book in that bathroom, or other entertainment.

It'll all be done in another half-day!

[chickwhorips]

LBTC its almost over with. hopefully by the time you get this message, it will be over with. (hugs)

[Haudlady]

LBTC - I hope all went well for you today. Let us know how you are!

I'm sending good thoughts and butterflies your way.

[KnottedYet]

It's snowing (and sticking) here in Sunny Seattle. Dang! This was gonna be my day to go for a bike ride!

Maybe I'll just do some laundry and take a nap. This is the last Wednesday I'll have off for the foreseeable future, so I may as well live it up!

[LBTC]

Thanks for all the positive vibes, ladies! I"m back home, now and, yes, the drugs are still working. I feel sleepy and, after the last two days of wishing I could eat anything, I now feel nauseous and am not very interested in food. go figure. I had a soy protien mixed with fruit juice so I've got few nutrients in me.

I've never had a procedure like this done before. So, for me it was all new. Even the IV. Apparently she had to use the kid sized-needle! And even then, the first vein she tried, in my hand, didn't work....and that hurt a fair bit...so she had to move it to my wrist. My right hand is still pretty cold after all that ... the sedation went in the IV and made my arm feel cold. I didn't really feel anything until the second scope got to the harder parts. I was trying to deep breathe through the pain, but I think it sounded more like groaning. I think it hurt that much about 4 times, but didn't last all that long. They took 2 or 3 biopsies, and so far those areas don't seem to hurt, which is good.

I think I need a nap now. :p

I"m supposed to see the specialist in 2-3 weeks to discuss the findings. And I"ll want to see my doc around the same time, too. The spec. doesn't have much time, and we haven't built any time of relationship. As I've mentioned before, I like my GP. :p

Hugs and Butterflies,
~T~

[Kitsune06]

*hugs*
get some rest, feel better, recuperate, etc. :)
*hugs!*

[KnottedYet]

Glad it's over! You certainly deserve the nap!

See you when you wake up!:D

[chickwhorips]

good good. glad its over and your home.

go take a nap, and while your there, can you take one for me too?

[kelownagirl]

Glad it's over LB - hope you hear nothing but good news! Did you do it in Vernon?

[LBTC]

Thank you all for your positive vibes and encouragement. I started another thread on that. :p

Yes, Kelownagirl, it was here at the Vernon hospital in outpatient. The nurses were very helpful and the facilities were really just fine, despite all we've heard.

oops, getting sleepy again....

H&B
~T~

[KnottedYet]

Still snowing here... dang.

[kelownagirl]

It's snowing here again too. Supposed to be warmer this weekend though.

I just finished my report cards. Yayayayaay! Maybe I'll have the energy to ride my bike this weekend...

[crazycanuck]

LB-((((((((((hug)))))))

Warm weather will be sent to you next week..37c forecast for mon-thurs :eek:

C

[LBTC]

Thank you for all the hugs. They're helping!

The snow sure isn't, though. My biggest hope - a bit of sunshine later for some nice photo ops. Not holding my breath, though.

H&B
~T~

[KnottedYet]

snow, snow, snow

schools are closed for Seattle area. I'd take pictures, but my camera is being weird. (batteries are low I think)

My poor little daffodils are lying flat and leaning over! Will they survive? They were about to bloom!

Not looking forward to the slippery drive down hill to work (and uphill home!) I bet most of it will be melted off the roads by the time I have to drive, though. There are blue patches in the sky already. (I'm deliberately ignoring the thick dark heavy clouds):D

[chickwhorips]

KG good job! glad you finally finished those report cards!!!!

it went from cloudy, foggy, and rainy yesterday. just pure cr@p weather, you know the depressing kind. now this morning i wake up and everything is frozen solid, wind is blowing, and there is snow on the ground with some good sized drifts. gotta love the weather out here. not really, can't wait to move!

[kelownagirl]

Knot, Mimi - how's the weather/roads now?

[KnottedYet]

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!

AAAAAAAAG!!! Trek just had an earthquake! Must call her!


Edit: aAAAAAaaaAAG! 4.04!!!
AAAAAaaAAAAAG!!! She was scared!!! AAAAAAG!!!!

[Kitsune06]

OMG! Trek! Report in, Trek! o.@

[LBTC]

Trek? You alright, girl?

Earthquake? Yikes!

H&B
~T~

[Trek420]

We just had a light quake, 4.04 magnitude, news said it centered around Lafayette, CA. News reports no damage, don't worry TE TD. :cool:

[KnottedYet]

Kit, I really like your new avatar!!

Earth didn't move for me. C'mon up here, Trek.... ;)

[Kitsune06]

Thanks Knot :D I figured one of these days I'd get around to drawing an avatar for myself...
Thanks to X for the scanner to make it possible... ;)

Yeah Trek you should move up there. ...though I think *that* would have Knot feelin' a little earth shakin' ;) :D :eek: ;)

[kelownagirl]

Anyone heard from Nanci lately??

[KnottedYet]

Nanci, check in? We miss you...
:D

[Blueberry]

I was just wondering where Nanci was too.....

Hope she and the torts are doing well:)

[chickwhorips]

kit will you draw one for me too, please? http://www.smileypad.com/v224/Personal/Heart-Beat.gif

[chickwhorips]

for those of you working in an office that suddenly you have rubber bands flying at your head (gee never in my office) here is some fun things to have on your side of the battlefield. http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/warfare/

[Kitsune06]

I love thinkgeek.com... and yes, CWR I'll draw one for you. I love characterizations...and I love scribbling... :D :D :D It's sort of an anime look... it's been a *long* time since I've drawn much tho so be kind. :D

[chickwhorips]

kit i saw this (http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/8aec/) and thought of you.

your the best!

[AllezGirl]

LOL....I just clicked the thinkgeek list and I own the first 15 things on the list. I'm not kidding....and not all of those things belong to my 8yo son either. Does that make me a geek? or just well armed....:D

Can I get one too, Kit?

[Kitsune06]

Those used to be my desktops at work.... actually..... I have http://images.despair.com/products/demotivators/gettowork.jpg
as my demotivator right now. I change it weekly. :D

I stress that it's *EXTREMELY* tongue-in-cheek.

[chickwhorips]

i'm going with well armed AG and very happy your not in my office. ;)

[snapdragen]

I have this one on the computer room door at work:

[Kitsune06]

http://images.despair.com/products/demotivators/incompetence.jpg

LAWL :rolleyes: :D :p

[chickwhorips]

being such the productive one i am at work. i was reading the news and came across this article (http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0302grandcanyon0302.html) which took me to the mountain biker's websight (http://www.ridingthespine.com/) and the page (http://www.ridingthespine.com/Journey/) that the article was talking about.

[KnottedYet]

In bed with Lara Croft...

Worked on my commutermobile a little bit and felt all butch and stuff. (and I wore my Amici Veloci buff pirate-style as I worked on the bike... *very* butch! :p ) I'm tired from my 9 1/2 hr shift at the clinic, and the kids next door are having a big party. So I've retreated to my bed with my laptop and Tomb Raider. Too bad I don't have earphones!

See y'all in the morning.

[Bikingmomof3]

I like the despair.com posters. DH wants some for his office. Trek I am glad to hear you are safe. Kit, your avatar is awesome. Great job. :)

I am not caffeinated enough and have a horrible migraine hangover. Yesterday was thunderstorms and flash floods. Today it is snowing. :confused: My head does not stand a chance. :(

[snapdragen]

Take care bmo3 - I'm sorry you're having a bad week.

The Pedigree shelter dog commercials break my heart. "I know I'm a good dog, and I just want to go home" SOB! If I had the room, I'd have so many dogs.....I'd be one of those "dog ladies". :rolleyes:

I've got a cuisinart running in my tummy this morning. It started yesterday, and I don't like it one bit. Looks like it's soup and toast again today. I can't be sick, I have too much to do! Like buy blue Sidi shoes at REI.....

[mimitabby]

Snap, i 'm the same way about cats. If I didn't share my house with my husband, I'd have way more cats than the 3 I have. EVERYDAY there are temptations..
poor sweet kitties whose people are dying, going into nursing homes,
etc, etc.

[Bikingmomof3]

Snap feel better.

[snapdragen]

Snap feel better.

You too!

[LBTC]

bmom and snap, hope you're feeling better

I get teary for all those commercials, even when they're happy. I'm silly that way. Yes, we have more room in our hearts for many more dogs and cats, but no more room in our house (or budget)!

Our big doggie, 'Cuda, had a lump removed from his foot yesterday. He's being very good and mellow so far, but the pain med injection hasn't worn off yet. :eek: He's so brave and good!

Everybody have the best Saturday you can, okay?

H&B
~T~

[Xrayted]

Hugs to you and Cuda :)

I will be getting a dog when I move. There is a great shelter near where I'll be that I'm sure I will find a new buddy at. :D

[chickwhorips]

I'd be one of those "dog ladies".

that's what i'm going to be in a few years.

snap and BM3 feel better!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Snap, i 'm the same way about cats. If I didn't share my house with my husband, I'd have way more cats than the 3 I have. EVERYDAY there are temptations..
poor sweet kitties whose people are dying, going into nursing homes,
etc, etc.

Yes, Mimi and I both feel the same way about kitties. And we both help out our local cat rescue organizations. I hope everyone who gets a new pet bypasses breeders and first tries their local animal shelter to find one of poor homeless furry creatures who are aching to give all their grateful love to a new owner. Give them another chance to live a happy life. Prove to them they are wanted by someone, somewhere. :o

[Trek420]

chickwhorips "that's what i'm going to be in a few years."

me too :o we can get together and start www.teamcanine.com

oops, somebody's already got that.

[chickwhorips]

they train dogs, we can save them. we'll put a .org at the end instead of .com.

[Duck on Wheels]

Yes, Mimi and I both feel the same way about kitties. And we both help out our local cat rescue organizations. I hope everyone who gets a new pet bypasses breeders and first tries their local animal shelter to find one of poor homeless furry creatures who are aching to give all their grateful love to a new owner. Give them another chance to live a happy life. Prove to them they are wanted by someone, somewhere. :o

This lovely kitty is a rescued cat ... and very clean too.
http://www.dagbladet.no/tv/index.html?type=fbig&clipid=4946

[KnottedYet]

The philosophical implications of the Spork.

One must consider how much simpler the dinner table of life would be if our only decision was whether to use "the spork or the Leatherman for this meal."
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Search?storeId=8000&vcat=REI_SEARCH&query=spork&x=0&y=0 And even more elegant a question if the spork is made of titanium. The next higher order of complication would be whether one needed BOTH spork AND Leatherman.

All of life reduced to two simple tools.

Now, we mustn't forget the joyful freedom of chopsticks. http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/sct003.htm However, one must have the proper container for the consumption of liquids if one is using chopsticks. How do you taste a simmering pot of stew if you are using chopsticks? I think we find that a spoon is required, nonetheless.

Hence, the spork. http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47947555&parent_category_rn=5777365

[LBTC]

Ah, the ti spork. A lovely utensil. But what place in life the foon?

H&B
~T~

[KnottedYet]

The foon, my dear Grasshopper, is merely the zen reflection of the spork.

All is one in the great mystery of the universe.

To quote the great Swedish Chef: "Spork, spork, spork!"

[KnottedYet]

"Tiger, Tiger, burning bright"

What is it with all the newbies named some variant of "tiger?"

[Bad JuJu]

Hence, the spork. http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47947555&parent_category_rn=5777365
Woman does not live by ti spork alone--I think I also need one of these ti mugs, in the "ocean green" color to match my Bianchi: Ti Mug (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47781016&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&&ext_cat=undefined)
Wonder if that mug would fit into a bottle cage.:confused: :D

[KnottedYet]

Woman does not live by ti spork alone--I think I also need one of these ti mugs, in the "ocean green" color to match my Bianchi: Ti Mug (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47781016&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&&ext_cat=undefined)
Wonder if that mug would fit into a bottle cage.:confused: :D

I feel the call of the Ti mug. It is your destiny...

[DebW]

The noble sierra cup (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=2526&parent_category_rn=5760727&vcat=REI_SEARCH), now available in ti, is far more useful than a mug could ever be. It becomes bowl, plate, and mug all in one. It even dangles from your belt for instant access (yeah, that was fashionable in 1972).

[KnottedYet]

I have the Rocky Cup, and use it in my kitchen as measuring cup and ladle.

I tried to post a link, but apparently the Rocky Cup is no longer made. I lost my Sierra Cup during a bout of hypothermia in the late 1970's on a group trip lead by Brent of "Brentley Softpacks" aka "Brenthaven" fame. www.brenthaven.com

I bought one of his belt-wallets at Christmas in Fairhaven long before he had a storefront. (mid 1980's, like 1984) I wonder if it's worth more than the $10 I paid at the time?

[Trek420]

I have the Rocky Cup, and use it in my kitchen as measuring cup and ladle.

I tried to post a link, but apparently the Rocky Cup is no longer made. I lost my Sierra Cup during a bout of hypothermia in the late 1970's on a group trip lead by Brent of "Brentley Softpacks" aka "Brenthaven" fame. www.brenthaven.com

I bought one of his belt-wallets at Christmas in Fairhaven long before he had a storefront. (mid 1980's, like 1984) I wonder if it's worth more than the $10 I paid at the time?

Let's take it to Antiques Roadshow :p :D :)

[chickwhorips]

i've been bringing my lunch to work bc its hard to go home for lunch. well there was some veggies and fruits left from some people that were out here working in the fridge. score! well i just went to get my lunch out of that same fridge and someone decided to organize everything that was in there.

well my lunch is gone. the diet coke is there, but my tupperware container with a fork (not a spork a real fork) is gone. poof! vanished! gone. hello?! where are our brains?

[Kitsune06]

For some bizarre reason, your post on tupperware and brains reminded me of a friend of mine who had this neat bowl that was a really, really realistic cast of a skull, with the braincase that opened. It was gross when he ate soup etc out of it.

[chickwhorips]

thankfully my co-worker ken saved the day and brought me a pb&j sandwich. how kind of him.

[Xrayted]

Yeah. We medical people have the coolest toys... :D http://www.allheart.com/acc-21013.html?src=smx&ovchn=INK&ovcpn=SiteMatch&ovcrn=SMX&ovtac=PI

[Wahine]

There are "Medical toys" and then there are Medical toys (http://www.bmeshop.com/ProductCart/pc/viewCat_h.asp?idCategory=6)

Ummmmm. What are ball weights for?:confused: :eek: :o

[kelownagirl]

All that stuff is weird in my book, but then I'm old. :rolleyes: :D

[Bad JuJu]

Yikes--that mouth gag looks scary! :eek: This is a whole other world of which I was unaware. Imagine that--something the great Bad JuJu didn't know--don't tell my students! :D

[Bikingmomof3]

Add me to the did-not-know-looks-weird/scary list.

[Kitsune06]

Wahine- Ball weights are likely for weighting balls. I might've missed the memo on that, though. ;) :rolleyes:

Bad JuJu- You have no idea how far down that rabbit hole goes.

The pinwheel is actually a *lot* of fun to play with. little prickles as light or sharp as you care for that all build into an overwhelming sensation after a little bit. Spine-tingling and hair raising! Originally used to test nervous sensation? Much more variable than a feather.

I admit I don't "play doctor" and have no real urge to start, but gosh darnit that pinwheel is a lotta fun. Makes me wish I had my own... :(

[Kitsune06]

:o :p :o
*bursts into flames*
:eek: :eek: :eek:
The pinwheel's fun if you like to prickle when you tickle. ;) :p :D

[chickwhorips]

is it me? or is it getting hot in here? :o :o :o

[Kitsune06]

I dunno. I know, and <mumble, mumble mumble mumble mumble>*AHEM* My gosh. must be the weather. *fans self*

I love those sites and those supplies. When Dad OL did a ritual and channeled Hermes, he had 50 play piercing needles over his chest and arms. 20g. Said the euphoria of the endorphin rush was amazing. I don't doubt it. No emla or other topical anesthetic, either; would defeat the purpose. He's my hero.

Salvador Dali said "I don't need drugs, I AM drugs"
How right he was- the sheer amount of natural opiate your body can pump out given the right circumstances is amazing. Amazing things are possible, just keep your blood sugar up and be careful. Then again, I doubt there are any heavy modders on this board. :rolleyes:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well that's the thing about the internet- everything is right out there if you want to look at it. Everything. Just punch up a subject or word and there you go, thousands of sites devoted to it, no matter what the fetish or interest, or how extreme. Why post kinky sites here, as though they were hard to find or unusual?...they're all right at all our fingertips with a mere couple of clicks! :rolleyes: (still trying to figure out what "When Dad OL did a ritual and channeled Hermes" means WITHOUT having to peruse a bunch of sites to find out!...sounds like an enema or something) :eek:
I'm not judging people (i have tattoos myself, and I used to do some pretty self destructive things when I was an angry young rebel), but I have occasionally seriously wondered when (or if) body modification crosses the line from "art" to just plain sad self mutilation. First there are society-accepted forms of body modification- such as pierced earrings, artificial nails, liposuction, dental braces, breast implants, plastic surgery, girdles, waxing and electrolysis, cosmetic dental procedures, hair implants, etc. (Oh the things we'll do for vanity!) Then, there's "alternative" piercing and tattooing and scarring and branding, seeking pain as ecstasy, etc....so then what about setting yourself on fire, running a knife through your hand, or lopping OFF your ear instead of just having 20 holes pierced in it? Is it ALL "art" and "self expression", even to the point of killing yourself (an extreme example, for sure!). That brings up weird similarities to suicide bombers and them feeling their act brings them spiritual perfection and automatic ascendence to Heaven. Just ponderings I turn over in my mind sometimes.
Then that makes me think about people who have been through awful accidents and been burned and scarred and amputated...they would give anything to have their bodies be the way they were. It reminds of when I feel really sick and I see well people around me and I think "They don't even know how lucky they are- they take their good health for granted and squander it" or some such typical sick-person thoughts. :rolleyes: Then I get well again and stop having those thoughts.

(good thing this thread is called Thread Drift, because this would be serious thread hijack!)

P.S. an interesting note about Salvador Dali is that his wife Gala used to insist that he shave off ALL his body hair- legs, underarms, privates, etc- she wanted him to be totally smooth like a baby for some reason, and apparently he complied at least sometimes.

[chickwhorips]

hmmm i never knew that about salvador dali.

[crazycanuck]

Who needs school when there's Thread Drift..:rolleyes: :p :eek:

I never knew...Thanks for de edumication

C